Manufacture Smarter Blog

2/15/2019
- BY: RON QUINKERT
As we discussed in a recent blog, many manufacturers are deciding now is the time to diversify. With a potential recession on the horizon, organizations are faced with a few different diversification options to pursue: develop new types of products, sell to new geographic areas or expand into new industries.

2/8/2019
- BY: MIKE BEELS
We tend to assume that every task we perform is essential in sustaining operations. But after analyzation from a Lean perspective, we might be surprised to discover that many of our activities are actually costing the organization time and money.

2/1/2019
- BY: JOHN SPILLSON
According to the Food & Drug Administration, every food processing facility is required to have a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) on staff to manage their food safety preventive controls program. Although not required, advanced training is encouraged to provide individuals with the skills needed to successfully navigate the complicated process of developing, writing and maintaining a Food Safety Plan.

1/25/2019
- BY: ANNA STEFOS
Each day, more manufacturers are implementing new technologies in their facilities in efforts to improve operations, boost efficiency and increase profitability. However, many are still trying to figure out how to best approach these new technologies and what they will look like for their business. One way to better understand how to achieve a “smart” factory is to think of it in the context of Lean Six Sigma.

1/18/2019
- BY: SHELLY STOBIERSKI
A hard life lesson everyone has had to learn at one point or another is that all good things must come to an end. This is an especially difficult lesson to learn when it comes to the economy, but one that Michigan manufacturers may soon be faced with.

1/11/2019
- BY: ELLIOT FORSYTH
Every 39 seconds, a cyber-attack occurs somewhere in the world. Yet, most small manufacturers still believe they are safe from cyber threats, assuming hackers only target large, multi-billion dollar companies. Unfortunately, that cannot be further from the truth.

1/4/2019
- THE CENTER
If manufacturers were to look back five or 10 years, most manufacturers would realize their companies have changed so tremendously, that they are unrecognizable compared to how they once were. These transformations in processes, products, staffing and innovations have altered how their businesses appear and operate. This begs the question, what will manufacturing look like in 2019?

12/14/2018
- BY: ANDY NICHOLS
While these lyrics to the Ella Fitzgerald song (or Bananarama, if you prefer) are typically seen in a fun musical context, they also can be applied to a very different context: an ISO 9001 Certification Body Non-Conformity Report. When this report is issued, it is common for an organization to have to respond with a corrective action within a timeframe of 30 days. But what action is really needed?

12/7/2018
- BY: DEB JOSEPH
Here’s the good news: the unemployment level in the United States has reached a nearly 50-year low. The bad news is, there are now more job openings than there are skilled people to fill them. Nearly every manufacturer I speak with is feeling the impact of this nationwide talent shortage.

11/30/2018
- BY: ROGER TOMLINSON
Successful projects don’t just happen; they require hard work and collaboration from both project managers and team members to ensure all tasks are completed and goals are met, on time and on budget. However, many projects ultimately fail or are abandoned because the team does not work together to achieve shared goals.